What’s the best 3-row SUV for 2020?

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade was named the top 3-row SUV by Cars.com.

which is called the Black Edition. The Pilot won only one category, visibility, which it shared with the Subaru Ascent. It placed last in four categories and tied for last in two others.

Cargo space and ride comfort are the Traverse’s claims to fame, but its value is a disappointment on many levels. The Traverse was redesigned for the 2018 model year. The trim level we tested was a High Country, the highest. It rated first in one judging category and tied for first in another. It rated last in three categories and tied for last in two.

against these competitors. Introduced in 2019 as a replacement for the toosmall Tribeca, last sold as a 2014 model, the Ascent doesn’t go far enough — or at least large enough. We tested the Ascent Touring model, the top trim level. It shared first place in two judging categories, rated last in four and tied for last in a fifth.

A redesign boosts drivability and creates an arguable niche model, but it leaves potentially more important aspects like interior space, comfort and value behind. The Limited is the third of five trim levels available for the newly redesigned 2020 Explorer, but the highest with the turbocharged 2.3-liter fourcylinder. The Ford racked up four category wins and shared first place in two more. It finished last in three judging categories and shared the bottom in two more.

More of a 1B than a second-place finisher, the Telluride shares many of the winner’s strengths, with perfect size, top-notch materials, and calm and easy driving behavior wrapped up in a quality package that’s priced thousands less than competitors. We tested an SX, the highest trim level. The Telluride had two outright category wins, and shared three other wins — one with the Palisade alone and two with the Palisade plus additional contestants. Though we don’t judge based on styling, our editors ultimately coalesced around the Kia’s design over the Palisade.

Premium materials, a pleasant driving experience, plenty of room and a smoking value to boot. If our Palisade had cost $10,000 more, it might still have come out on top. The Palisade isn’t Hyundai’s first three-row SUV, but it’s the best. We tested the top Limited trim level. The Palisade topped four judging categories, tied for first in four more, and took or shared second place in seven more. Its worst showing was being two-tenths of a point below average in one judging class.